Vacuum mop

ABSTRACT

A powered vacuum mop has the cleaning liquid line arranged as a flexible tube inside the vacuum hose and wand and has a pushbutton valve on the upper end of the wand. Also, an improved cleaning tool has a main housing receiving the wand, and a separator plate under the main housing closes off all the space under the housing except narrow vacuum intake openings along the front and rear edges of the housing. A perforated plate under the separator plate between the intake openings carries a porous scrubbing tool, and a squeegee is arranged in each of the intake openings. The cleaning liquid line leads to a liquid passageway extending through a separator plate and into a perforated tube extending over the perforated plate.

United States Patent John '1. Merrick 629 Thurston Road, Rochester, NY.14619 [21] Appl. No. 2,983

[22] Filed Jan. 15, 1970 [45} Patented Aug. 17, 1971 [72] inventor [54]VACUUM MOP 6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 15/321, 15/364, 15/369, 15/396 [51] Int. Cl A471 11/29 [50]Field of Search 15/302,

[56] References Cited UNIT ED STATES PATENTS 742.830 11/1903 Lotz 15/3221,929,345 10/1933 Brown et al 15/322X 3,210,792 10/1965 Sassano, Sr15/401 Assistant Examiner-C. K. Moore Attorney-Cumpston, Shaw & StephensABSTRACT: A powered vacuum mop has the cleaning liquid line arranged asa flexible tube inside the vacuum hose and wand and has a pushbuttonvalve on the upper end of the wand. Also, an improved cleaning tool hasa main housing receiving the wand, and a separator plate under the mainhousing closes off all the space under the housing except narrow vacuumintake openings along the front and rear edges of the housing. Aperforated plate under the separator plate between the intake openingscarries a porous scrubbing tool, and a squeegee is arranged in each ofthe intake openings. The cleaning liquid line leads to a liquidpassageway extending through a separator plate and into a perforatedtube extending over the perforated plate.

PATENTEflAusmsn 3.599.272

sum 1 UF 3 FIG.!

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2 INVENTOR,

JOHN T MERRICK ATTORNEYS I 1 BY PAIENTED AUG 1 7 I97! SHEET 2 OF 3 FIG-5 INVENTOR. JOHN T- MERRICK AT TORNE YS PATENTEDAUBHIQH 4 34599272 SHEET3 OF 3 FIG. 4

I 30 3! .-1NVENTOR. F IG- 6 JOHN T MERRICK Syd [W MM AT TORNE YS VACUUMMOP THE INVENTIVE IMPROVEMENT Powered vacuum mops have been previouslysuggested, but they have not been commercially successful because ofvarious deficiencies. This invention involves recognition of the optimumcharacteristics for a vacuum mop, and a discovery of the most efficientand convenient way of r constructing a vacuum mop to meet theserequirements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention improves on the type of vacuummop that has a cleaning tool wand, a reservoir, a line and pump for acleaning liquid, and a reservoir, hose and vacuum pump for waste liquid,and the improvements include arranging the cleaning liquid line as aflexible tube inside the vacuum hose and the wand, a valve arranged onthe upper region of the wand for opening and closing the cleaning liquidline, and an improved cleaning tool secured to the lower end of thewand. The cleaning tool has a housing receiving the wand, a separatorplate below the housing except long, narrow intake openings extendingrespectively along the front and rear of regions of the housing. Aperforated plate is arranged under the separator plate between theintake openings, and a. porous scrubbing tool is secured to the bottomof the-perforated plate. A liquid passageway extends over the perforatedplate. A squeegee is arranged in each of the intake openings, and theSqueegees extend to the bottom of the scrubbing tool for squeegeeing upliquid on both forward and backward strokes of the tool.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the inventive vacuum mop;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a valve for use in the inventivemop;

FIG. 3 is a partial, rear elevational view of a cleaning tool for usewith the inventive mop;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the tool of FIG. 3, taken along theline 4-4 thereof;

FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of the tool of FIG. 3, and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the tool of FIG. 5, taken along theline 66 thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION bad The drawings illustrate one preferredembodiment of the inventive vacuum mop. It consists of a wheeled vehicle10 that is schematically illustrated because it is generally known. Itincludes, but does not show, a reservoir and pump for a cleaning liquid,a reservoir and vacuum pump for waste liquid, a power supply for thepumps, and accessories for filling, draining, and other necessaryfunctions. Generally, it sucks up waste liquid and delivers cleaningliquid on demand.

A vacuum hose 1] extends from vehicle 10 to wand 12, and cleaning liquidline 13 is a flexible tube threaded through the vacuum hose and thewand. Preferably, easily detachable couplings connect the vacuum hose 11to wand 12 and form a junction in the cleaning liquid line at the upperend of the wand. A valve 15 is arranged on the upper end of wand 12 foropening and closing cleaning liquid line 13. Valve 15 is a pushbuttondevice working against spring 16 in housing 17 in a passageway incleaning liquid line 13. Valve 15 is preferably arranged so that afinger or thumb of a hand gripping the upper end of wand 12 canconveniently operate valve 15.

An improved cleaning tool 20 is secured to the lower end of wand 12 by adetachable coupling. Cleaning tool 20 has a housing 22 carrying wandcoupling 21 and closing over the upper part of the cleaning tool. Aclosed separator plate 23 is secured to housing 22 and closes off all ofthe space below housing 22 except intake openings 24 and 25 that arelong, narrow slots respectively along the front and rear regions ofhousing 22. The space between separator plate 23 and housing 22 issubjected to vacuum by vacuum hose 11, and dirt and water are drawn intointake slots 24 and 25 and through the space between housing 22 andseparator plate 23 and up hose 11. Squeegees 26 and 27 are arrangedrespectively in intake slots 24 and 25, and are preferably pivotallymounted to rock forward and backward as cleaning tool 20 is moved.

A perforated plate 28 having openings 38 is secured under separatorplate 23 by screws 29 that fasten together perforated plate 28,separator plate 23 and housing 22. Perforated plate 28 extends betweenintake slots 24 and 25, and porous scrubber pad 30 is secured toperforated plate 28 by screws 31. Pad 30 is preferably a disposablescrubbing tool of a generally known construction and it can be aspongelike device, a brush, or a bristled or pile material. Squeegees 26and 27 extend to the region of the bottom of pad 30 to engage the floornext to pad 30.

Cleaning liquid line 13 extends through wand couplings 21 and intojunction block 32 carried on separator plate 23. Junction block 32 has aliquid passageway extending downward through separator plate 23, andperforated tubes 33 are secured to junction block 32 below separatorplate 23. Perforated tubes 32 extend transversely over a substantialregion of perforated plate 28, and the ends of perforated tubes 33 areclosed so that liquid dribbles from holes 34 spaced along perforatedtubes 33.

Tool 20 is preferably made of lightweight material and formed asillustrated for simple castings and stampings. A bumper 35 extendsaround housing 22, and bumper 35 is preferably formed of an elastomericmaterial to protect tool 20 and objects that tool 20 bumps into. Thepivotal support for Squeegees 26 and 27 is preferably formed by theunthreaded tips 36 of screws 37 that are screwed through housing 22underneath bumper 35.

In operation, the person holding wand 12 presses valve 15 whenever hedesires to wet the floor he is mopping. This sends cleaning liquid downline 13 to perforated tubes 33 which dribble liquid over perforatedplate 28 and into porous scrubbing pad 30 to wet the floor as desired.Meanwhile, tool 20 is moved back and forth over the floor so thatscrubber 30 works the cleaning liquid against the floor to accomplishthe desired cleaning.

On a forward stroke of tool 20, rear squeegee 27 collects liquid left byscrubber 30 so that liquid and dirt are drawn into intake slot 25 and upvacuum hose 11. On a rearward stroke of cleaning tool 20, front squeegee26 similarly collects liquid leaving pad 30 so it can be drawn intointake slot 24 and through the space between housing 22 and separatorplate 23 to vacuum hose 11. Squeegees 26 and 27 thus work on bothforward and backward strokes of cleaning tool 20 so that dirty liquidfrom pad 30 is quickly and easily vacuumed up on both working strokes oftool 20. During this process, pad 30 tends to dry out and leave less andless water on the floor, and as the user notices this he again pressesvalve 15 to supply more cleaning liquid to pad 30.

The floors are thus cleaned quickly and easily with efficient andconvenient liquid supply and takeup as the work proceeds. Constantvacuuming and squeegeeing ensures that no extra time or labor is spentvacuuming up liquid, and cleaning liquid is supplied exactly as neededby merely pressing valve 15 when necessary. This is a simple matterbecause valve 15 is operated by a finger or thumb of the same hand thatholds wand 12.

Persons wishing to practice the invention should remember that otherembodiments and variations can be adapted to particular circumstances.Even though one point of view is necessarily chosen in describing anddefining the invention, this should not inhibit other embodiments goingbeyond the semantic orientation of this application but falling withinthe spirit of the invention. For example, those skilled in the art willappreciate that'other embodiments of powered vacuum mops can use theinventive concepts, and these can be adapted to many specific devices.

I claim:

1. ln a vacuum mop having a cleaning tool wand; a reservoir, line, andpump for a cleaning liquid; and a reservoir, hose, and vacuum pump forwaste liquid; the improvement comprising:

a. said cleaning liquid line being a flexible tube arranged inside saidvacuum hose and said wand;

b. a valve arranged on the upper region of said wand for opening andclosing aid cleaning liquid line;

c. a cleaning tool secured to the lower end of said wand;

d. said cleaning tool comprising:

l. a housing configured to receive said wand;

2. a separator plate arranged below said housing to close offsubstantially all the space below said housing except long, narrow,intake openings extending respectively along the front and rear regionsof said housing;

3. a perforated plate arranged under said separator plate between saidintake openings;

4. liquid passage means extending from said cleaning liquid line throughsaid separator plate;

5. said liquid passage means including a perforated tube extending oversaid perforated plate;

6. a porous scrubbing tool secured to the bottom of said perforatedplate; and

7. a squeegee arranged in each of said intake openings and extending tothe region of the bottom of said cleaning tool.

2. The vacuum mop of claim 1 wherein said valve is a pushbutton valvearranged to be manually operable by a thumb or finger of a hand grippingthe upper region of said wand.

3. The vacuum mop of claim 1 wherein detachable couplings are arrangedfor connecting said vacuum hose and said wand and for forming a junctionin said cleaning liquid line in the region of the upper end of saidwand.

4. The vacuum mop of claim 1 wherein said Squeegees are pivotallymounted for moving forward and backward relative to said housing.

5. The vacuum mop of claim 1 wherein saidliquid passage means includes ajunction block carried on said separator plate and receiving saidcleaning liquid line above said separator plate, said junction blockhaving a liquid passageway extending through said separator plate, andsaid perforated tube being connected to said junction block below saidseparator plate.

6. The vacuum mop of claim 5 wherein said perforated tube is arranged toextend transversely over a substantial region of said perforated plate.

1. In a vacuum mop having a cleaning tool wand; a reservoir, line, andpump for a cleaning liquid; and a reservoir, hose, and vacuum pump forwaste liquid; the improvement comprising: a. said cleaning liquid linebeing a flexible tube arranged inside said vacuum hose and said wand; b.a valve arranged on the upper region of said wand for opening andclosing aid cleaning liquid line; c. a cleaning tool secured to thelower end of said wand; d. said cleaning tool comprising:
 1. a housingconfigured to receive said wand;
 2. a separator plate arranged belowsaid housing to close off substantially all the space below said housingexcept long, narrow, intake openings extending respectively along thefront and rear regions of said housing;
 3. a perforated plate arrangedunder said separator plate between said intake openings;
 4. liquidpassage means extending from said cleaning liquid line through saidseparator plate;
 5. said liquid passage means including a perforatedtube extending over said perforated plate;
 6. a porous scrubbing toolsecured to the bottom of said perforated plate; and
 7. a squeegeearranged in each of said intake openings and extending to the region ofthe bottom of said cleaning tool.
 2. a separator plate arranged belowsaid housing to close off substantially all the space below said housingexcept long, narrow, intake openings extending respectively along thefront and rear regions of said housing;
 2. The vacuum mop of claim 1wherein said valve is a pushbutton valve arranged to be manuallyoperable by a thumb or finger of a hand gripping the upper region ofsaid wand.
 3. The vacuum mop of claim 1 wherein detachable couplings arearranged for connecting said vacuum hose and said wand and for forming ajunction in said cleaning liquid line in the region of the upper end ofsaid wand.
 3. a perforated plate arranged under said separator platebetween said intake openings;
 4. liquid passage means extending fromsaid cleaning liquid line through said separator plate;
 4. The vacuummop of claim 1 wherein said squeegees are pivotally mounted for movingforward and backward relative to said housing.
 5. The vacuum mop ofclaim 1 wherein said liquid passage means includes a junction blockcarried on said separator plate and receiving said cleaning liquid lineabove said separator plate, said junction block having a liquidpassageway extending through said separator plate, and said perforatedtube being connected to said junction block below said separator plate.5. said liquid passage means including a perforated tube extending oversaid perforated plate;
 6. a porous scrubbing tool secured to the bottomof said perforated plate; and
 6. The vacuum mop of claim 5 wherein saidperforated tube is arranged to extend transversely over a substantialregion of said perforated plate.
 7. a squeegee arranged in each of saidintake openings and extending to the region of the bottom of saidcleaning tool.